Baseball pitchers, be they right-handed or left-handed, must strengthen the muscles of their fingers, wrist, forearms and shoulder in order to develop an effective pitching motion which will withstand the rigors of a baseball season. Typically, this muscle strengthening occurs in spring training where the pitchers gradually develop their pitching motion and velocity over the course of several weeks of practice outdoors. Pitchers on a professional level may have the ability to access training facilities which allow for indoor pitching during the off-season in inclement weather, such facilities are not generally available to amature pitchers of all ages.
Additionally, despite this gradual development of the throwing motion during spring training, a pitcher often times experiences an injury during the season which requires several weeks of layoff and then the gradual resumption of the throwing motion to regain form and velocity.
Further, the pitching motion is unique in all sports in that the pitcher grips the baseball which is a solid sphere having a stitched pattern and must throw this baseball on the average of 100 times per game at the required velocity while imposing a certain spin on the ball to achieve the desired pitch. This spin is achieved through the action of the fingers and wrist of the pitcher. As a consequence, the fingers of the gripping hand are toughened and develop callouses which permit the pitcher to perform the pitches which he desires to throw. A layoff during the off-season or an injury during the season which prevents the pitcher from normal practice or competition results in the rapid deterioration of these calloused areas on the fingers which again requires a rehabilitative period before the pitcher returns to form.
There are many excercise devices on the market which allow athletes to strengthen and maintain muscle tone during the off-season and during the active season. These exercise devices can range from free weights to complex exercise devices involving weights, pulleys and chains. While these exercise devices serve the purpose of exercising the general muscular framework of the body, no such device has thus far been developed specifically for baseball pitchers which permits the baseball pitcher to exercise, develop, and in some cases, rehabilitate the fingers, wrist and forearms of the pitching arm. The present apparatus is directed specifically to this type of training and can be utilized by the pitcher for exercise in the off-season or for the rehabilitative exercise and can be utilized without the necessity for a large room or space for throwing the baseball.